Sunday’s NFC Divisional Round game has everything an NFL bettor could possibly want and more, as Hollywood travels to Tampa Bay to face the defending champion Buccaneers. The spread has moved in the Rams’ direction in early betting, from a Bucs -3 opener to -2.5 (-120) on some oddsboards. Of course, there are also plenty of player props and touchdown scorers on the wagering menu.
The betting market’s move toward the Rams could very well be related to the Buccaneers being banged up with injuries. While starting offensive linemen Ryan Jansen and Tristan Wirfs did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday, Bruce Arians said they both got in limited practices Friday. The status of these two guys should be monitored — Tom Brady does not want Von Miller and Aaron Donald chasing after him this weekend.
These storylines impact our player prop bets. Knowing whether the Buccaneers are at full health helps project productivity for skill players. For now, we expect both offensive linemen to be active.
The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs is one of the best weekends of the sports year. Don’t overdo it, though, and follow the advice of Furio from The Sopranos and …. “Bet with your head, not over it.”
Rams vs. Buccaneers Player Props
Matthew Stafford To Throw An Interception -128 (FanDuel)
Stafford had to throw the ball only 17 times in Monday night’s 34-11 win over Arizona. This is going to change drastically this weekend, as the Bucs often force teams into shootouts. Few can compete.
In the last three games of the regular season, Stafford was a turnover machine:
Week 18 vs. 49ers: 2 interceptions
Week 17 at Ravens: 2 interceptions
Week 16 vs. Vikings: 3 interceptions
We’ll lay the short price on this Stafford prop.
Cam Akers Over 48.5 Rushing Yards -115 (BetMGM)
Consider this an official apology to Cam Akers, who looked unbelievable last week. Coming off of a torn Achilles, he ran over one of the best players in the NFL, Budda Baker, like he didn’t belong in the league. Thankfully, Baker is okay in what looked like a scary injury. Regardless, Akers is a force to be reckoned with. He runs angry.
Tom Brady Over 1.5 Rushing Yards -114 (FanDuel)
If the Buccaneers go into victory formation, this prop bet could end in a heartbreaker. The argument for the play is when games matter the most, quarterbacks are more willing to put their bodies on the line. Brady ‘over’ 1.5 rushing yards is a great bet.
Van Jefferson Over 35.5 Receiving Yards -115 (PointsBet)
Big Van Jefferson fan here as a deep threat and sometimes a slot receiver. It seems he has taken over the Robert Woods role, which is a big help to Matthew Stafford.
Anytime TD Scorer Props | Rams vs. Bucs
Matthew Stafford Anytime TD Scorer +1600 (BetRivers)
Is it likely? Not particularly. But this line is absurd. We’re offered +1600 on the Rams quarterback to score a touchdown, when the odds should be +800 at most. He ran for a touchdown last week, although he had not run one in the entire year. Tread cautiously, but this is an excellent longshot prop bet.
Los Angeles Rams D/ST Anytime Touchdown Scorer +550 (DraftKings)
When games start going south for Brady, we have seen him get frustrated and start turning the ball over. If that happens Sunday, and Donald and Miller control the pace, who couldn’t see a Darius Williams pick-6 to close the game for the Rams?
Also read: Rob Miech’s sportsbook report | Odds on NFL teams’ next coaches | Super Bowl 2022 odds
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